DR. ARA TAHMASSIAN

Ara Tahmassian, Ph.D., is the University Chief Research Compliance Officer. In this role, Dr. Tahmassian is broadly responsible for the oversight of the review, development, and implementation of policies related to research compliance activities across the University. Additionally, Dr. Tahmassian works toward the overall effort to manage potential risks at the University by integrating and coordinating the significant compliance requirements across the University.

Prior to being named University Chief Research Compliance Officer at Harvard, Dr. Tahmassian was the Associate Vice President for Research Compliance at Boston University and Boston Medical Center, responsible for maintaining a research environment that promoted integrity and ethical behavior and that abided by the regulations and requirements established by the federal, state, and local funding agencies. Dr. Tahmassian also served as the Principal Investigator for the core BSL-3 select agent laboratory and as one of the Associate Directors of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) at the BU Medical Campus.

Dr. Tahmassian holds a B.Sc. in nuclear engineering and a Ph.D. in radiobiology from Queen Mary College, London University, and is a Diplomat of the American Board of Sciences in Nuclear Medicine.